Sole Survivor next to the last chapter
by Leslie Anne
Summary: Okay, here's the next to the last chapter of this series. Gage has finally let Syd know how he feels about her. Think it'll get serious? No need to tell you the drill.


Sole Survivor (Almost the final chapter)

Okay everyone! Here's the next to the last and final chapter! It's been fun doing this. Please read and review and let me know what you think of this story (as well as the other four parts)

"Someone get the lights on!" Someone yelled as the lights came on. When the lights came on, Walker and the others looked at each other. "You okay Alex?" Walker asked in a worried voice. Alex nodded her head. "I'm okay. Is everyone else okay...Oh my god! Walker! Go get the doctor! Gage has been shot!" Alex shouted as she saw Gage.

He was holding his left arm and blood was oozing from between his fingers. "How bad Gage?" Trivette asked as Walker ran out of the room to get the doctor. "Could have been worse." Gage said as he looked at Syd who was standing there with the gun still in her hand. Trivette turned to Syd.

"Syd, why did you shoot your partner?" Trivette asked in a concerned voice. Syd turned to him as Gage saw the same look on her face. She slowly brought the gun up as she aimed it at Trivette. Gage knew he had to think fast. She was just close enough for him to bring his foot up and kick the gun out of her hand.

The gun went flying out of her hand and across the room. Trivette grabbed a hold of Syd's wrists as he brought them behind her back. "I'll ask you again Sydney. Why did you shoot Gage?" Trivette asked her as Walker came back in with the doctor. The doctor examined Gage's wounded arm.

"Doesn't look too serious. It looks like it went clean through. I'll have a nurse come in and get it cleaned up and wrapped." The doctor said as he left the room for a moment. Walker turned to Syd. "Why Syd?" Walker asked in a concerned voice. Syd just stood there with a blank look on her face. Alex touched Walker's arm.

"Walker, I don't think Syd's in full control of her mind. It's almost as if she was in a trance." Alex commented. Trivette nodded his head. "Yeah, and just before you came in, she had the gun pointed at me. It was lucky Gage was close enough to kick the gun out of her hand." Trivette said as he kept a hold of Syd.

Syd tried to squirm out of Trivette's grip, but it was no use. "Walker, I think we better get Syd some help as well." Trivette suggested. Suddenly, Syd made a move and broke free of Trivette's grip. She started to run toward the door, but Walker reached out as he grabbed a hold of her. "Just calm down now Sydney." Walker told her.

"Let go of me!" Syd screamed as she tried to squirm out of Walker's bear hug, but it was no use. Just then, the doctor came back in along with the nurse. "What's going on in here?" The doctor asked. "I think Range Cooke may need something to calm her down. She just tried to shoot Trivette." Walker explained. The doctor nodded his head as he told something to the nurse who quickly left.

A few moments later, the nurse came back into the room with a syringe in her hand. Syd saw it as she started screaming again. "NO! Get that away from me!" Syd screamed as she tried to break loose from Walker's grip. The doctor walked over to her as he gave her the shot. "How long till it takes effect?" Walker asked as he kept his hold on Syd. "Should be just a few minutes." The doctor told him.

About five minutes later, Walker could feel Syd starting to relax. He picked her up as he gently laid her on the stretcher the doctor brought in. "How long will she be out?" Gage asked as he sat on the edge of his bed. "I gave her a strong dose. So, I'm figuring about 12-24 hours. Also, to be on the safe side, I'm going to put her in restraints." The doctor said as he and the nurse pushed the stretcher out of Gage's room.

Walker turned around to the others. "At least be glad that she didn't kill anybody. Wonder what caused her to act like that?" Walker asked the others. Gage shrugged his shoulders. "I noticed that it was when both Trivette and I mentioned the word 'partner' that she would get this strange look on her face." Gage replied. Trivette nodded his head.

"I noticed that as well. It was almost as if she was here, but she really wasn't. It makes me wonder that whoever it was that abducted her didn't do something to her." Trivette commented. "What do you think they did to her?" Gage asked. "To me, it looks like she was hypnotized and given a post-hypnotic suggestion to shoot anyone who mentions the word 'partner'." Trivette replied.

Just then, Alex spoke up. "I think to be on the safe side, I'll stay in her room till she wakes up." Alex told them. Walker nodded his head. "That's a good idea Alex. Maybe when she wakes up, she might be able to tell us just what it was they did to her to make her act the way she did." Walker replied. Alex turned as she left the room and headed down to where Syd was. Tears were in her eyes when she saw Syd lying there in a deep sleep with restraints on her wrists as well as on her ankles.

Alex pulled up a chair as she sat down next to Syd's bed. "I sure wish we knew why you acted the way you did." Alex thought to herself as she placed her hand on Syd's. Late the next day, Syd slowly woke up. She tried to move her arms, but they were tied down. "Why am I in restraints?" Syd thought as she looked around.

She saw Alex sitting next to her bed. "How long was I asleep?" Syd asked. Alex raised up as she looked at her. "Since early yesterday. Do you have any memory of what happened?" Alex asked. Syd shook her head. "The last thing I remember was you and I going down to Gage's room. After that, everything's a blank. What happened?" Syd asked.

Alex spent the better part of an hour telling Syd about her shooting Gage and nearly shooting Trivette. "Why would I shoot Gage?" Syd asked as Walker came into the room. "That's what we'd like to know. It seems that whenever you heard a certain word, you would get this strange look on your face." Walker told her. "Was it necessary to put me in restraints?" Syd asked.

Walker nodded his head. "Just as a precaution to yourself. Soon as we feel that you're no longer a danger to yourself, then the doctor will remove them." Walker explained. "How's Gage?" Syd asked in a worried voice as tears filled her eyes. "He's okay. It went clean through and didn't hit any bone." Trivette told her as Alex reached down and wiped the tears from Syd's face.

Several weeks passed and soon Syd was out of the hospital. She was told by her doctor that she was going to stay with Alex and Walker out at the ranch. "Physically you are fine Ranger Cooke, but emotionally and mentally, I don't think you're ready to resume your duty as a Texas Ranger." The doctor told her. Syd gave him a surprised look. "Do you think I'll do what everyone said I did whenever I hear that certain word?" Syd asked.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "It's hard telling. But, it's just a precaution. I've already talked it over with Ranger Walker and he's agreed to put you on an extended medical leave till he feels you're ready." The doctor said as he saw both Gage and Alex come into Syd's room. "I might as well hang up my badge." Syd muttered to herself as she sat there.

Gage sat down next to her as he put his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay Shorty. I'm sure that in time you'll be back doing what you do best." Gage said with his ever cocky grin. "And just what might that be Ranger Gage?" Syd asked in a cold voice. "Being my partner." Gage told her as he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Syd sat there, but never said a word. Just then, Alex spoke up. "You ready to go Syd?" Alex asked.

Syd nodded her head as she got up from the hospital bed. The nurse brought in a wheelchair. "I don't need that. I can walk out of here on my own two feet." Syd grumbled. "Sorry, it's hospital rules." The nurse said as Syd sat down in it. Gage put a hand on Syd's shoulder. "Don't worry Shorty. I'll stop by and see you as often as I can." Gage told her. Syd just nodded her head as she got into Alex's car.

Gage turned to Alex. "I hope she'll pull through Alex. I don't want to have to train another partner if..." Gage started. Alex put a hand on Gage's shoulder. "Don't worry Gage. I'm sure that it's going to take time. Only thing I can say is, be there for her as a friend. Cause that's what she really needs right now." Alex said as she got in on the driver's side and drove away.

Gage stood there as he watched the car drive off. Tears fell down his face as he thought of the possibility that Syd will have to give up being a Texas Ranger. He turned around as he walked over to his car and drove over to Ranger Headquarters. Walker was there along with Trivette, Carlos and Trent. CD was there as well.

"How's Syd?" Trivette asked when he saw Gage coming through the door. "Physically, she's fine. But, emotionally and mentally I'm not sure. The doctor's aren't sure if she can ever come back and be a Texas Ranger." Gage said as he sat down at his desk. CD walker over to Gage as he put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't you worry now son. I'm sure that it's gonna to take some time. Just be there for her. Right now, she's not sure what's going to happen to her. At least now when she hears the word 'partner', she's not trying to shoot the person that says it." CD explained to him. Gage nodded his head as he reached up and wiped the tears from his face. "I hope you're right CD. I've never told this to anyone, but I have fallen in love with Syd." Gage told him.

Both Walker and Trivette gave him a surprised look. "You have? How come you never told anyone? Does Syd know yet?" Trivette asked. Gage shook his head. "Not yet. I think I'm just going to wait." Gage replied as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Just don't wait too long. Someone else may win her heart." Carlos said with a grin.

That afternoon, Gage stopped into a floral shop. "Well, what do I owe the honor of this visit Ranger Gage?" The owner asked as she approached him. "I'd like to get two dozen of your prettiest long stemmed red roses." Gage told her. "Got someone special that these are going to?" She asked as she wrote down the order. Gage nodded his head.

"These are going to Ranger Sydney Cooke. How soon can they be ready?" Gage asked. The gal looked at her watch. "Give me about 10 minutes and I'll have them ready." She said as she turned and went into the back room. Gage stood there, hoping that nobody else would see him in there.

About 15 minutes later, she came out carrying a big bouquet of roses. "Here you go. You want me to put them on your bill?" She asked. Gage nodded his head. "Yeah, thanks again." Gage said as he took them from her and left. He laid them in the seat next to him and drove out to the ranch. When he got there, he saw Syd sitting out on the porch with Alex and Walker.

"Well, I wonder who this is coming?" Walker said as he stood up. Syd smiled as she saw Gage getting out of his car. "Looks like he's been to the floral shop." Syd commented as she saw Gage taking something from the passenger side of the car. "Hey Shorty. How you doen'?" Gage asked as he came up to the porch.

"Feeling a lot better. Who are the flowers for as if I didn't know?" Syd said with a grin. Gage grinned as he handed them to her. "My goodness! 2 dozen? What's the occasion?" Syd asked. Alex took the hint. "Come on Walker, let's get these roses inside and in some water. I've got the perfect vase for them." Alex hinted as she got a hold of Walker's arm and went inside.

Gage sat down on the step as he continued to look at Syd. She got up as she sat down next to him. "You didn't answer my question. How come you gave me roses?" Syd asked again. Gage grinned as he took a hold of her hand. "Syd, I didn't realize how much you meant to me. I confided to both Walker and Trivette that I have fallen in love with you." Gage told her as he gently squeezed her hand.

Syd gave him a surprised look. "Afer I nearly killed you? Gage, I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be able to come back." Syd told him. "Syd, it's okay. I'm sure that's it's going to take time. You were born to be a Texas Ranger. Besides, I don't think I could stand training another one to take your place. You were my first and only partner." Gage told her.

Syd just shook her head as she got up and walked away from him. Gage sat there for a moment, then got up and followed her. She went down to the corral and leaned against the fence. Gage came up from behind her as he put his arms around her. "Come on Shorty. It's going to be okay. Don't you feel the same way about me?" Gage asked as he turned her around. He could see her tear streaked face.

Syd nodded her head as she put her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. "I feel the same way about you Francis. But, with all that's happened to me..." Syd said as she broke down and started to cry. Gage held onto her tighter. "It's okay Syd, just let it all out." Gage said softly as he rubbed her back. Back at the house, both Walker and Alex were watching the whole thing.

"I knew that if anyone could get through to Syd, it would be Gage. I've got a feeling in my bones that she's going to be coming back as a Texas Ranger sooner than we expect." Walker told Alex. Alex nodded her head. "I think so too. Hey, how come you never send me flowers like this?" Alex teased him. Walker laughed as he gave her a passionate kiss. "Maybe someday I will when you least expect it." Walker said with a grin...to be continued. (One more chapter to go! ;-D


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